As the use of mass mailings becomes more common, it becomes more important for an entity doing mass mailing to be able to provide a distinctiveness, personalized, mailing piece in order to achieve a high rate of response. Particularly important is the ability to provide variable information of relevance to the recipient of a mailing piece on many, if not all, of the components of the mailing piece, yet do so in an inexpensive manner with a high rate of accuracy and a low reject rate.
According to the present invention a distinctive mailing piece is provided, as well as a method for producing the mailing piece in a highly efficient manner that allows variable information--such as the addressee's punctuated full name--on all (if desired) parts of the mail piece. The mail piece according to the invention has a distinctive look, having a larger envelope with a back side flap with a smaller envelope secured (e.g. by hot melt adhesive) to the front of the larger envelope and with the flap of the smaller envelope accessible from the front. The variable information is visible on both of the envelopes, and may include address information (street address, city and state and zipcode, and bar code) as part of the variable information for either one or both of the envelopes. Each of the envelopes has at least one insert, and all or some of the inserts may also have the common variable indicia thereon, providing a very personalized and distinctive mail piece. The envelopes may be made in a very efficient manner using continuous webs of paper, for example the first envelope made by merely folding a web/sheet of paper with adhesive along two sides except at the flap area, and forming the second envelope by joining two webs of paper, with inserts between them and with the first envelope adhesively secured by spot adhesive (in either strip or dot form) to one of the webs, and providing adhesive along the sides and one end edge of the webs with the flap at the other end edge.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a multiple envelope assembly is provided comprising the following components: A first envelope having a top ply, a bottom ply, a flap for sealing the top ply to the bottom ply, and an opening between the top and bottom plies. The bottom ply having a first predetermined area, and the top ply having an outer surface. A second envelope having first and second plies and a flap for sealing the first and second plies, and an open volume between the first and second plies for receipt of one or more inserts therein, the first and second plies each having a second area at least about 10% greater than the first area. At least one insert for each of the first and second envelopes. An outer surface of the second envelope visible at the same time that the outer surface of the first envelope is visible. Means for connecting the first envelope to the second envelope so that the outer surfaces thereof are visible at the same time. Common variable indicia provided on the outer surface of the second envelope, on the outer surface of the first envelope spaced from the second envelope, on the first insert, and on the second insert. And, address indicia operatively provided on at least one of the outer surfaces of the first and second envelopes.
The common variable indicia preferably comprises addressee name indicia, but may comprise other variable indicia, or additional variable indicia (such as address indicia). The address indicia may be imaged directly on the outer surface of the second envelope, spaced from the first envelope, or the first envelope, spaced from the second envelope, or a label or other element which is placed on and becomes part of an envelope. The first envelope flap typically engages and is visible from the other surface of the first envelope, and the second envelope flap is not visible from the outer surface of the second envelope.
The means for connecting the first and second envelopes together may comprise any suitable conventional means or known means that is capable of performing that function, including stapling, mechanical interaction, stitching, or the like. However in order to effect simple and low cost manufacture, the means for connecting the envelopes together preferably comprises adhesive extending between the first ply of the second envelope and the bottom ply of the first envelope, preferably widely spaced strips or dots of adhesive (that is spot adhesive), such as hot melt adhesive.
The first envelope preferably is a folded sheet of paper with a fold line along one end edge, and the flap at the opposite end edge, and adhesive along the two sides. The second envelope preferably comprises two distinct plies of paper having adhesive along the two side edges and one end edge, and a flap at the opposite end edge. Preferably a plurality of inserts are provided in each of the first and second envelopes, and all or some of the inserts have the common variable indicia thereon.
According to another aspect of the present invention a method of making a multiple envelope assembly at a common location using a machine with multiple stations, using at least first, second, third, fourth and fifth webs of paper, each having first and second opposite faces, is provided. The method comprises automatically: (a) At a first station effectively imaging non-variable and variable indicia on the first face of the first web of paper, including first variable indicia. (b) At a second station, effectively imaging nonvariable and variable indicia on the first face of the second web of paper, including the first variable indicia. (c) Cutting, folding, or cutting and folding the first web to form a first insert. (d) Moving the first insert into operative association with the second face of the second web. (e) Applying a first adhesive to part of the second face of the second web. (f) Folding the first sheet so that the first face forms the exterior of a first envelope and the first adhesive seals portions of the second face to each other so that the second face forms the interior of the first envelope, and so that the insert is provided in the interior of the first envelope. (g) Applying a second, spot, adhesive to the first envelope. (h) At a third station, imaging non-variable and variable indicia on the first face of the third web of paper, including the first variable indicia. (i) Attaching the first envelope to the first face of the third web using the second, spot, adhesive so that the first variable indicia on each are visible at the same time. (j) At a fourth station, imaging non-variable and variable indicia on the first face of the fourth web of paper, including the first variable indicia. (k) Applying a third adhesive to at least one of the second face of the third web and the second face of the fifth web. (l) Cutting, folding, or folding and cutting the fourth web to form a second insert. (m) Bringing the third and fifth webs together with the second insert therebetween and sealing the second face of the third web to the second face of the fifth web to produce a plurality of pre-second envelopes in web form. And, (n) cutting the third and fifth webs to form each pre-second envelope into a second envelope larger than the first envelope.
The method may be practiced utilizing a sixth web of paper, and further comprising: (o) at a fifth station, imaging non-variable and variable indicia on the first face of the sixth web of paper, including the first variable indicia; and (p) cutting the sixth web to form a third insert; and wherein (m) may be practiced to also provide the third insert between the third and fifth webs. Other inserts can likewise be formed. In the implementation of the method (a), (b), (h) and (j) may be practiced to image addressee name indicia as at least part of the first variable indicia. Also at least one of (b) and (h) may be practiced to also image address indicia as part of the variable indicia imaged thereby, either directly onto an envelope outer surface, or to a label or the like applied thereto.
In practicing (a), (b), (h), and (j), the non-variable indicia may be printed using a multi-color flexographic press assembly, and the first variable indicia printed using an ink jet printer. Further, (a)-(n) may be practiced so as to produce a second envelope having a surface area at least 20% greater than the first envelope, and (f) may be practiced to form a flap; and the method may further comprise applying a fourth, cross strip, of adhesive on the second face of the second web at the flap; and (i) practiced to attach the first envelope to the first face of the third web so that the first envelope flap is visible from the exterior of the second envelope. Also, (n) may be practiced to form a second flap in the third web; and the method may further comprise applying a cross strip of adhesive on the second face of the third web at the flap.
The invention also comprises an envelope assembly (mailing piece) made pursuant to the methods described above.
According to another aspect of the invention a multiple envelope assembly is provided comprising the following features: A first envelope having a top ply, a bottom ply, a flap for sealing the top ply to the bottom ply, and an opening between the top and bottom plies. The bottom ply having a first predetermined area, and the top ply having an outer surface. A second envelope having first and second plies and a flap for sealing the first and second plies, and an open volume between the first and second plies for receipt of one or more inserts therein, the first and second plies each having a second area at least about 10% greater than the first area. At least one insert for each of the first and second envelopes. An outer surface of the second envelope visible at the same time that the outer surface of the first envelope is visible. Means for connecting the first envelope to the second envelope so that the outer surfaces thereof are visible at the same time. Common variable indicia provided on at least one of the first and second envelopes spaced from the other envelope, on the first insert, and on the second insert. Address indicia provided on at least one of the outer surfaces of the first and second envelopes. And, wherein the first envelope flap engages and is visible from the outer surface of the first envelope, and wherein the second envelope flap is not visible from the outer surface of the second envelope. A "tamper proof" strip may be provided for holding the first envelope flap in place.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a distinctive multiple envelope assembly/mailing piece which may have personalized information (variable indicia) applied to substantially all of the components of the assembly, and can be produced in a relatively simple, fail safe, and inexpensive manner. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.